The present invention is directed to a tool for use in repairing breaks in water mains. In particular, the tool is used to seal the break and clean the area around the break before a conventional pipe repair damp is secured over the break.
When a water main breaks, for example, when a hole or stress crack forms in the pipe, the pipe must be repaired to stop the outflow of water. This usually involves excavating a hole to expose the pipe, removing mud and water from around the pipe, cleaning and sanitizing the surface of the pipe adjacent the break using a sanitizing fluid such as bleach, and then securing a pipe repair clamp over the break.
This repair work is often performed without shutting off the water main in order to prevent dirt and contaminants from entering the water supply through the break. However, when the water main is not shut off, internal pressure will force the water out of the break, creating a gush of water that makes repairing the break difficult and messy.
Currently, one way of controlling the water gush is to hold a mat over the break while the pipe repair clamp is positioned around the pipe, and then removing the mat as the repair clamp is moved over the break. However, this technique is haphazard and makes sanitizing the surface of the pipe adjacent the break difficult, as the gushing water tends to dilute the sanitizing fluid.